1867 Indian Head Cent Pre-Cud Reverse (12:30 to 1:30)

Description

A pre-cud formation spans from the 12:30 to 1:30 clock position on the reverse of this 1867 Indian Head Cent, indicating a die crack along the rim that had not yet progressed to a full cud break. Pre-cuds represent an early stage of die deterioration where a crack has developed at the die's rim but the metal between the crack and the edge has not yet broken away — a transitional state between a simple rim die crack and a full cud. The 12:30 to 1:30 position places this pre-cud in the upper right area of the reverse as viewed facing the coin. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a mintage of approximately 9.8 million, the 1867 Indian Head Cent is a moderately scarce date in the series. Pre-cud varieties are valued by die break specialists because they document a specific moment in a die's deterioration timeline — the die was failing but had not yet reached catastrophic failure. Continued use of this die would presumably have produced a full cud at the same clock position. Indian Head Cents from the Reconstruction era were struck in bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc), the composition established by the Act of April 22, 1864.